Novak Djokovic stunned by world number 123 Luca Nardi at Indian Wells
The 20-year-old Italian, ranked 123 in the world, emerged victorious with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over the veteran Serb, ending Djokovic’s 11-match win streak at Masters events.
Nardi, who had idolized Djokovic since childhood with a poster of the tennis legend hanging above his bed, showed no signs of intimidation as he faced his childhood hero on the court.
Breaking Djokovic for a 4-2 lead in the deciding set, Nardi’s confidence and determination shone through as he closed out the match with a match point ace.
Reflecting on his historic win, Nardi expressed his disbelief and gratitude in an on-court interview, stating, “Before this night no-one knew me. I hope the crowd enjoyed the game; I’m super happy with this one.”
Describing his victory over Djokovic as a miracle, Nardi humbly acknowledged the magnitude of his achievement, saying, “I don’t know. I think it really is a miracle. I’m a guy ranked outside the top 100 in the world and now I’m beating Novak — crazy, crazy.”
Nardi’s journey to the main draw of the Indian Wells Masters was unexpected, having entered as a lucky loser after a withdrawal.
Despite being defeated in the final round of qualifying, Nardi seized the opportunity and delivered a performance that will be remembered as one of the biggest upsets in recent tennis history.
Meanwhile, Djokovic attributed his loss to simply having a bad day at the office, acknowledging Nardi’s exceptional performance on the court.
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